Crate-lock.



H. N. BAGKUS.

CRATE LOOK.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 26, 1912.

Patented Mar, 30, 1915.

lNl/E/VTOR HENRY Al. Bncnus.

WITNESSES:

A TTOB/VEV THE NORRIS PETERS C0 PUOTO LITHO,. WASHINGTON. D C

l t a i HENRY N. BACKUS, 0F DETROIT, MICIEIGAN.

CRATE-LOCK.

Application filed July 26, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY N. BAGKUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of vVayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crate-Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to automatic locks for use upon shipping crates or packages, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide an automatic lock of strong and secure con struction adapted for use where it is desired to hold the cover firmly closed upon shipping and packing packages of whatever character, and wherein a key, in the ordinary sense of the word, is not required in order to unlock the cover. The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective, of a portion of the cover and body of a crate, showing the cover closed and locked, and the lock sealed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central, vertical section through the lock. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts of the lock disengaged, as when unlocked. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the springactuated latch bolt. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the keeper plate and parts carried thereon. Fig. 6 is a top plan of Fig. 5 showing the latch bolt in position.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates a plate upon which is mounted the keeper 2, having a rounded upper portion with an annular aperture 3 passing vertically therethrough, the upper end of said aperture being flaring, as shown at 4:. The lower portion of the keeper is divided into two laterally projecting sides 5 between which the latch bolt (3 is pivoted upon the transverse pin 7 passing through said sides and through said bolt interposed between them. Coiled around said pin between the sides of the keeper and the latch bolt is a spring 8 having a loop 9 which engages the outer edge of said bolt and whose tension Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3Q, 1915.

Serial No. 711,642.

is normally exerted to throw the beveled hooked end 10 thereof inwardly, the upper end of said bolt lying in a slot 27 which conimunicates with the annular opening 3 in the keeper into which the hook 10 projects, said slot holding the latch bolt against lateral movement. The spring 8 is provided with the feet portions 11 which engage the keeper plate 1 at the base thereof and prevent the turning of the coils of the spring8 upon the pin 7, thereby imparting the desired spring tension to the loop 9.

The keeper plate is adapted to be secured to the inner face of the front wall 12 of the crate or boX and is provided with an outwardly extending lip 13 which is let into the upper edge of said front portion to bring it flush with the top thereof, there being through said lip near its'extreme outer edge an aperture 14: for purposes hereinafter stated. The complementary portion of the lock consists of the rounded bolt 15 adapted to enter the keeper and having a shoulder 16 which is engaged by the hook 10 of the latch bolt 6, said bolt 15 depending centrally from a plate 17 which is secured to the under face of the cover 18 and through the outer edge of which is formed an aperture 19, which, when the cover is closed, registers with the aperture 14 in the lip 13 of the keeper, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, thereby enabling a wire loop, or other fastening device 20 (see Fig. 1) to be passed through said apertures and the lock secured by a seal 21.

The parts are so positioned that when the cover is closed, the rounded bolt 15 enters the flaring opening of the keeper and is directed into the annular opening 3 therein, the end of said bolt striking the beveled face 22 of the latch bolt 6 and springing said latch bolt outwardly until the hook 10 shall have passed the shoulder 16 on the lock bolt, when said latch bolt will spring inwardly, causing the hook 10 to engage over the shoulder 16 and automatically lock the cover in the closed position. To disengage the latch bolt from the lock bolt to enable the cover to be opened, an opening 23 is formed through the front of the boX in alinement with the opening 2 1 in the keeper plate 1, which last-mentioned opening registers with the disk 25 mounted upon the inner edge of the latch bolt 6. By inserting a small stick or pin 26 or other suitable instrument through the openings 23 and 24: and pressing against the disk 25, the latch bolt may be sprung inward and disengaged from the lock bolt, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, to allow the cover to be opened. Because of the flaring entrance 4 into" the opening 3 of the keeper, and of the rounded end of the lock bolt, said plate is always directed properly into the keeper when the cover is closed, even though said bolt may not always be directed centrally into the keeper opening, insuring an automatic locking of the crate or package upon the closing of the cover. It will also be, evident that by reason of the fact that the lock bolt fits snugly within the rounded opening 3 of the keeper, when the latch is in engagement therewith, the unlockingof said parts cannot be accidentally effected as the latch bolt can only be disengaged by a strong inward pressure against the disk 25.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. A look comprising a keeper consisting of a plate having a barrel-like formation at the upper end thereof provided with an aperture therethrough having a flaring opening, said keeper also having projecting sides below said barrel-like formation, a spring-actuated latch bolt pivoted between said sides, said keeper plate having an opening therethrough in line with said latch bolt for the insertion of an actuating instrument to disengage the latch, and a lock bolt provided with a rounded end and a square shoulder adapted to enter the flaring opening of the keeper and automatically engage the latch bolt.

, 2. A look comprising a keeper having an aperture for the reception of a lock bolt provided with a flaring opening and having a vertical slot communicating with said aperture, a spring-actuated latch bolt pivoted in the keeper, the upper end of said bolt lying in said slot and projecting therethrough into said aperture, and a lock bolt plate having a bolt rigidly mounted thereon adapted to enter the flaring opening of the keeper and to engage said latch bolt.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY N. BACKUS.

Witnesses E. S. WHEELER, M. E. BROESAMLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C." 

